Automatic and manually-controlled cut-off valve



July 13, 1926. 1,592,493

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AUTOMATIC AND MANULLY CONTROLLED CUTOFF VALVE` I Filed May 14. 1925 ci? \\\\\\\\i Patented July 13,1926. i

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EDWIN COOPR WILLS, 0F NEWARK, NEVI` JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC AND MANUALLYTCONTROLLED CUT-Orr l VALVE.

' Appiieauen nieavMey 14, 1925, s serial No. 30,347.

Wy present invention relates generally to the cut-ofi' valves andmore particularly to valves of the general type as describedand claimed in my Patent- Noi 1,532,515, granted April 7th, 1925, my present invention dealing more especially with such va valve as used as a cut-olf in gas feed lines and the like where as in the case of fire, it

gas. i

My patent before referred to deals withr the automatic closing of a valve in the pres ence of excessive ,heat and ithas been found,y that in the installation of such valves it is important in the first instance that the apparatus extend as littleY as possible above the valve casing in order to `permit of its use in the gas lines of old 'buildings where the space is limited.y It has also been found4 expedient to provide manual means where by the valve may be leasily cut off from a distant point in case' the lire within the building has not reached that particular point at which the valve is installed.

It therefore, becomes lthe primary object of the vpresent Yinvention to provide both an automatic and manual control cutoff'valve, the automatic controlling elenientbeing not only collapsible under excessive heat to per'- mi't closing of the cut-odv valve but also being of such 'a nature and in connection with meansV permitting of its ,displacement from effective position so that the valve may be' manually releasedl for closing from a distant point where it has not already `closed yunder automatic control out of the excessive heat.

My invention as thus generally outlined is shown in the accompanying drawing, Awhich forms a part of this specification, and in Which:

Figure l is a perspective View illustrating the use of a manual and automatic control member,

Figure 2 invention shown in Figure l,V

Figure 3 is a. sideview partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating a slight modification as regards the mounting of the controlling element of Figures l and 2, and,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating still another modified foiin of con-y essential to eliminate further supply of` against the latter of ywhich it seats in its lower elective position, as will' be plain from the rshowing inV Fig. 2, The upstanding steine@ of the valve member projecting yabove the cap 241 ofthe valve casing 452 hassecured to its upper end a cross head 43.

and to the outer ends of this'cress--head the upper ends of the valve actuating springs 44 are connected. Thelower ends of these springs are :connected to lateral *outstand- Aing lugs 45 of ,the valve casing 42.4 The'upper surface of the cap 4l `forms a bearing point-opposed'vto a nut 46 secured to `the upper end of a supporting link 51, as indi-y cated at 52,y the supporting link 5l being of the valvev casing 42. The bifurcated ends 4i" and 4S of the controlling arms are thus adapted to straddle the valve stem 40 and these portions of the-arms are normally held in spaced relation by means of a controle ling element consisting of a pair of straps 55 whose inner ends are secured in overlapping relation by a fusible solder as at 56. `The outer ends ofy these straps have key-liole slots adapted to engage laterally projecting studs 57onthe extensions 58 of the two arms as in Figures land 2, or the lateral proconnected its ylower end k53 to a lug 54 jecting studs 59 inthe arms 49a and/5()a as f indicated in Figure 3.

One of the extensions 58 of the arms serves in the construction shown in Figures 1- and 2 tol receive the adjacent end of the iexible control connection 60, while in Figure 3 it yis of course obvious that one of they arms must have an extension 58a for a similar puris a side ViewV partly in eleva-y tion and partly in section of the form of the pose. {In} either case the soldered straps 55 hold the bifurcated ends ofthe controlling arms in spaced relationk rso that they support the cross-head 43 spaced abovethe valve casing and hold the valve' member open, until under excessive heat the solder is melted when the controlling member as a whole collapses, and the cross-head descends under tension of the springs 44. Here too, the conuse after each action. As indicated in Figure k47 the' controlling member may consist trolling element is so formedas to need only a fusible solder in order to permit of its rey Cil of tivo arms (SO and Gl having bifurcated ends G2 for use as in Figures l and 2 and having their opposite ends joined by means of fusible solder as at (S3, one of the arms being extended at (3f-lf to provide for pivotal connection with the supporting link as Well as for connection with the manual controlling cord or Wire GO.

As further shown in Figures l and 2, the springs il may be accompanied by one or more weights G5 having apertures G6 to re` ceive supporting pins upstanding from the cross-head Ai3 on which the Weights are seated and l avoid relative displacement Where more than one Weight is used by virtue of complementary openings and pins (3T connecting inthe manner shown in Figure 2.

It is obvious that in either form of the involition the flexible cord or Wire may be extended in the front of the building and that pull upon this cord or u'ire results in lateral displacement of the automatic controlling element from its effective position so as to permit the valve to close. is before stated, this is especially desirable Where lire is present in the building but has not approached the location of the valve to the extent necessary to melt the soldered joint and bring about automatic closure of tlu` valve through the collapse of the automatic controlling element.

l claim l. EL cut-olf valve having a seat, means for forcing the valve to its seat, means normally holding the valve off of its seat against the pressure of said iirst named means including a pair of armshaiving bifurcated ends, and a fusible connection normally holding the said bifurcated endsin spaced relation, and manual controlling means connected to one of said arms for laterally displacing both of the arms from effective position.

2. A cut-,olf valve having a seat, means for forcing the valve to its seat, means normally holding the `valve on' of its seat against the pressure of said first named means and including a pair of valve controlling arms in pivotal connection With one another, fusibly connected straps in engagement with and normally spacing said arms in the effective position, and manual controlling means in connection with saidarms for laterally displacingthe same bodily from the effective position.

3. L cut-olf valve having a stem, a casing having a seat for the valve, means engaging the steinv of the valve for .forcing the valve on to said seat, and means normally holding the valve olf of its seat against the pressure of said first-named means, including a pair of arms pivotally connected to one another and respectively engaging at one end the said casing and a portion of the valve stem, and a fusible connection normally holding said engaging ends of the arms in-their spaced apart effective position.

l. A cut-olf including. a valve having a stem, a casing havinga seat therein, means engaging the-said stem for forcing t-he valve on to said seat, and means normally holding the valve oiil of its seat including a pair of arms pivotally connected to one another and respectively. engaging the casingfand a portion of said valve stem, and a pair of soldered straps in conneetio1i-ivith said arms and normally spacing the arms apart.

A cut-olf including a valve having a stem, a casing having a seat therein, means engaging the stemfor forcing the valve on to said seat, means normally holding the valve ofi' of its seat. including. a support pivotally connected at one end tosaid casing, a pair of arms pivotally connectedto'- one another and to the other end of saidl support and respectively engaging at. their free ends the casing and a portion of the said valve stem, and a pair of soldered straps in connection with said` arms and normally spacing the same apart.

EDJVIN COOPER lVILLS. 

